A new documentary blows the lid off the shady underpinning of the Taser industry

Taser International trains
master instructors with devices such as the X26 stun gun. Those
instructors then train police officers in departments around the
US.Christopher Furlong/Getty
Images

You won't find a timelier or more relevant film at this year's
Tribeca Film Festival than "Killing
Them Safely" (previously titled, "Tom Swift and His Electric
Rifle").

Nick Berardini's debut feature explains how two brothers
built the world's largest Taser manufacturer, armed and helped
train most of America's police departments, and became
millionaires in the process.

Rick and Tom Smith founded Taser International in 1993 and have
sold their stun gun to almost all of the US' 18,250
law-enforcement agencies (only about 450 police departments do
not deploy the Taser), according to the company.

As the film progresses, these seemingly innocuous figures appear
more and more sinister as we see them jump through hoops to avoid
taking responsibility for the potential harm their product
inflicts.

The film makes a salient point when it juxtaposes the Smith
brothers' apathetic depositions and the upsetting police dash-cam
footage showing the death of Stanley Harlan. The 23-year-old died
after he was stunned for 31 seconds outside of his home.

In 2008, Harlan was pulled over by officers from the Moberly,
Missouri, police department in suspicion of either speeding or
drunken driving (the reason remains unclear). Harlan appeared to
cooperate with police, but within seconds multiple cops grabbed
him and walked him off camera. He was then stunned three times
and entered cardiac arrest, according to a police handout
obtained by CBS News.

Moments later, Harlan's body was dragged back into view of the
dash cam. Officers attempted to wake him up during the next 14
minutes, but it was too late. Harlan died of cardiac arrest in
front of his home and his screaming parents.

Screengrab of dash-cam
footage from the Moberly police department showing the events
that preceded the death of Stanley Harlan.Courtesy of Nick Beradini

Still, the Smith brothers contend in the film that the Taser is
perfectly safe and simply cannot do any serious harm. In their
depositions, as well as in a Canadian Parliament hearing on the
matter, the brothers assuredly deny all assertions their product
can kill.

When asked about a specific instance involving a death by Taser,
Rick Smith responds: "What I'm saying is that to the best of our
knowledge it does not appear that the direct electric effects of
the Taser would be the most likely cause of the cardiac arrest."

Rick's brother echoes this later on: "In terms of the studies
that have been done we have not seen anything conclusively that
has come back scientifically that has said a Taser has killed."

According to the company's running
tally, of the more than 2.7 million Taser deployments, about
141,000 lives have been saved.

In 2009, however, Taser International updated its training
procedures to include that officers should not aim for the chest.

After issuing the update, the company scheduled a nationwide
call, featured in the film, with its police-department clients to
explain the need for the adjustment. Then-CEO Rick Smith is heard
on the call telling officers: "Are chest hits with a Taser
dangerous? The answer to that is definitively no."

There are a few other unfathomable moments in the film that truly
have to be seen to be believed. "Killing Them Safely" highlights
the ineptitude not only of Taser International but also of the
governing bodies and police departments that have allowed this
organization to essentially have a monopoly over the training and
safety of the device.

"Killing Them Safely" is a painstakingly researched and
compelling film that demands to be seen. It's bigger than some
true-crime story that affects the lives of a handful of people —
the horrors brought to light in the film have an effect on every
American citizen.

"Killing Them Safely" is playing in select theaters on
Friday. (This review was written when the film premiered at the
2015 Tribeca Film Festival.)

Disclosure: Brett Arnold and Amanda Macias are former
classmates of the filmmakers.